What songs are noticeably getting worse live/ what songs are still strong

[captain40]

I would like to talk about the elephant in the room which is the performance of some songs decreasing due to age of the band/Boyd-less. Obviously they’re still rockin out and it all still is amazing but what is one song that is noticeably worse these days and what is one song that you think they still perform amazingly? (A positive note)


For my song that is getting painful to listen to it is by far Nancies. this is one of my favorite songs ever (like most) but man it’s getting rough. The intro is soulless, Dave whimpers through the first hook and verse I’m not sure why it’s hard for him to sing because it is not a vocally demanding song and the whole first 2 minutes is just super quiet. Also they just have not figured out the Boyd fills, this was a Boyd heavy song and gave it such depth and intensity but between each verse it’s just quiet with some mild Tim guitar fill. And let’s not talk about the jam part, the electric guitar just is not cutting it anymore.


A song I still think is amazing live is Pig, the keyboard strings sound great and Dave and the band still bring the intensity and it sounds like it did 15 years ago

[wlperie]

Seek Up getting worse.

Jimi Thing more tolerable this year.

Crush as good as ever.

Come On Come On was really good this year. Much better than when it debuted a few years ago.

[Cptn. Monkeyman]

I would say I’m the exact opposite as OP. I love Pig, but I’d be cool if they never played it live again. Nancies on the other hand is finally interesting again. One of my favorite tunes, but I feel from 07-16 it wasn’t as special as it was in the earlier days. I dig the new format and solo choices.

[tripeyedfish]

I’ve thought grey street has sounded better this year (not just from the 3rd verse either)

Everyday sounds terrible still. I wish they’d buried that one when Boyd left.

[captain40]

Seek Up getting worse. <br>
<br>
Jimi Thing more tolerable this year. <br>
<br>
Crush as good as ever. <br>
<br>
Come On Come On was really good this year. Much better than when it debuted a few years ago.

Agreed come on come on has been great, and I feel like it’s become a favorite for a lot

[Gunz]

He has a little sister named Jane and this isn’t the song that Jane liked.

[dancheatham]

Originally Posted by wlperie

Seek Up getting worse.

Jimi Thing more tolerable this year.

Crush as good as ever.

Come On Come On was really good this year. Much better than when it debuted a few years ago.

I agree with Jimi, Crush, and Come On, but man... last night's Seek Up might be the best thing I've heard this band play in years (and even outside of that specific performance, I think Seek Up has been sounding as good as it ever has for a while now).

One Sweet World is the biggest offender to me.

[dmbolp]

Lie In Our Graves

[Rnk13]

Originally Posted by Gunz

He has a little sister named Jane and this isn’t the song that Jane liked.

I actually think Jane sounds pretty tight. I’ll still take it at any show.

[crounsa810]

#41, Ants, Crush, Bartender, Grey St, and WWYS are getting worse.

Seek Up, Pig, Typical, Grace, LIOG are getting better.

[LowEnd_Theory]

Watched a recent video of them playing The Stone. I think it’s the first time I really noticed how Carter is slowing down. It sounded so empty, void of his choppy/busy fills that really drive the song.

[watchtower08]

Miss the old warehouse. Enjoy the new powerful DDTW

[tyler3440]

Seek Up was mvp last night

[crounsa810]

Originally Posted by LowEnd_Theory

Watched a recent video of them playing The Stone. I think it’s the first time I really noticed how Carter is slowing down. It sounded so empty, void of his choppy/busy fills that really drive the song.

Yeah, last recent Stone I listened to I noticed it sounded like a much more straightforward drumbeat vs what he used to do

[BTCS_JTR]

Billies still misses Boyd, but they've done a good job with keeping that one good live. Grace is Gone is always good, too. So is What Would You Say.

#41 and Ants are two that came to mind that are getting worse

[DMBCardinal]

#41 and Ants are the obvious choices for songs getting worse. I don't think there is a lot of disagreement on that on here.

[RainDog1980]

Originally Posted by LowEnd_Theory

Watched a recent video of them playing The Stone. I think it’s the first time I really noticed how Carter is slowing down. It sounded so empty, void of his choppy/busy fills that really drive the song.

This got me curious and wow… what a difference.

[MiniFlynny34]

Ants has been terrible the entirety of DMB 4.0.

[Speilmen230]

Crush has become one of their best staple songs.

[anthonysoscia]

Originally Posted by LowEnd_Theory

Watched a recent video of them playing The Stone. I think it’s the first time I really noticed how Carter is slowing down. It sounded so empty, void of his choppy/busy fills that really drive the song.

I hear what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s extremely different. Yeah he really played much busier and more intensely on it ‘08-‘16 (and absolutely nuts in 2010), but if you listen to the tune ‘98-06 ish he plays more straightforward like the record. I think he’s playing it more edgy this year (and stronger overall) vs ‘18-21. Take a listen to it at Hartford this year, he was doing some really powerful stuff with Jeff.

So yes maybe less busy compared to the last decade and some, but take a listen further back (I’m a drummer btw)

[Miller9]

There is a list of songs that are noticeably worse with the departure of the violin.
That would be these songs that I would previously look forward to hearing, now I'm just indifferent hearing because they are just not the same.

LIOG
Nancies
Seek Up
Jane
Ants
Jimi
Billies (at least they gave Jeff a spot to solo)
Recently

[dmb2much40]

Seek Up has been fabulous with the 4.0 lineup. Also typical and so right sound great. Jimi is much improved this year, and I’ve enjoyed two step’s return.

Billies, nancies and pig have worked out ok without Boyd, but man are graves and ants hard to listen to.

OSW and #41 have become shells of their former selves, it’s sad.

[OutofDarkness]

The Last Stop gets worse every time it reappears, and has from the beginning. It was godlike in '98. It wasn't quite as good in '03, but still great. '06, it's losing some steam. '10, the reprise sounds pretty messed up. '16, pretty blah. Then '19, it loses the reprise altogether.

[KevinTH]

Originally Posted by MiniFlynny34

Ants has been terrible the entirety of DMB 4.0.

Hollywood Bowl was a breath of fresh air for that one and Billies.

I don’t think I could honestly say any song sounds better than it did with the original lineup, but there’s songs like Stone or Lie in Our Graves that sounded super tight and very well performed this last summer.

DDTW has been way too heavy for years, Grey Street while sounding better these days still lacks the punch it used to have and will never totally work for me with the horn duel, Rapunzel misses the finesse it used to have and does not benefit from the two horns riding on top each other during the jam, Even though his part wasn’t anything intricate Bartender really isn’t the same without violin. The band sounded the best they have in a long time in 2022 though. There’s things I’ll always miss, and will never be the same, but they sounded more like a cohesive unit than they have in a while.

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by anthonysoscia

I hear what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s extremely different. Yeah he really played much busier and more intensely on it ‘08-‘16 (and absolutely nuts in 2010), but if you listen to the tune ‘98-06 ish he plays more straightforward like the record. I think he’s playing it more edgy this year (and stronger overall) vs ‘18-21. Take a listen to it at Hartford this year, he was doing some really powerful stuff with Jeff.

So yes maybe less busy compared to the last decade and some, but take a listen further back (I’m a drummer btw)

I'd have to go back and listen / watch it but I was at Hartford two rows behind the pit and remember thinking there were one or two big mistakes at the time

[anthonysoscia]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

I'd have to go back and listen / watch it but I was at Hartford two rows behind the pit and remember thinking there were one or two big mistakes at the time

I was there too, I think Carter went into the small instrumental section instead of the next verse at one point, but Dave sang the verse and it ended up sounding kinda cool. It was the tour debut so that was probably a factor. Regardless, it was a good performance and that doesn’t change what I was saying above.

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by anthonysoscia

I was there too, I think Carter went into the small instrumental section instead of the next verse at one point, but Dave sang the verse and it ended up sounding kinda cool. It was the tour debut so that was probably a factor. Regardless, it was a good performance and that doesn’t change what I was saying above.

Yeah just saw the mention of that performance, I agree I think he's playing well still

[grilldanmo]

Alla y’all a bunch of boneheads.

As you were.

[crashintonickdm]

They’re all worse

But that’s okay.

[LowEnd_Theory]

Originally Posted by crashintonickdm

They’re all worse

But that’s okay.

That is a good point.